


the eighth.

by Uhmeduh



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: ... yet, Camp Jupiter (Percy Jackson), Canon Compliant, Complete, Fluff, M/M, Might Add More, Not necessarily related to any of my other stuff, Rare Pairings, as far as we know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28970664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uhmeduh/pseuds/Uhmeduh
Summary: Eight moments of Octavian's time in the Twelfth Legion, from when he was a probatio until right before the storming of Mount Othrys. His story is tied to Jason's, but he can't find it within himself to mind.(Then moments after those eight)
Relationships: Jason Grace/Octavian
Comments: 21
Kudos: 16





	1. he who Sees

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [She Saw Him Alive (He Saw Him Dead)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989069) by [WardofWinters (QoLife)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QoLife/pseuds/WardofWinters). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter which the summary refers to.

The first cohort hated Jason Grace, and Octavian wasn’t sure why.

He was too afraid to ask, really. Jason Grace was two years younger than him but he felt a million years older. His wolf stare was perfect (Lupa had always scoffed at his), his skill with a gladius far surpassed Octavian’s own, as did his skill with a spear.

It wasn’t surprising. He was the son of Jupiter. The son of the king of the Gods.

It still stung when he landed flat on his ass, the point of the sword hovering above him.

Maybe that was why his cohort hated Jason Grace.

Maybe.

* * *

He was still a probatio when the son of Jupiter knocked him into the river. 

Octavian didn’t know how to swim.

It wasn’t that he actively tried to avoid learning to swim. He had just always been more preoccupied with other things. 

And maybe he had been afraid of the other kids. Children were cruel when they didn’t understand the words that sometimes slipped from his mouth.

They didn’t want to know their deaths. He didn’t want to either.

But he did anyway.

His lungs burnt as he coughed up the water, having been hauled from the river by the very person who put him into it.

“— okay? Octavian? Octavian?”

Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, knew his name.

Then again, Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, had also just almost drowned him.

The last of the water had come out but he was still coughing and his nose burned. The space behind his eyes burned and he cursed harshly in Latin, making Jason Grace laugh.

Not that he listened.

Now was not the time for a full vision. Why couldn’t he just get snippets like he usually did.

His vision swam like he couldn’t as he tried to fight it off. Golden. Black marble? Falling. Falling. 

Water in his lungs. Again.

Not again.

He yelped when he was shocked, the vision disappearing as his head snapped to the side and his gaze locked with Jason Grace’s.

They both had blue eyes (blond hair too), but he knew they were different. Jason Grace’s eyes literally sparked with electricity.

“Back with me? Come on, let’s get you to the infirmary.”

* * *

Jason Grace would not stop hanging around him, but... he kind of enjoyed it.

It was nice to have a friend.

Jason’s ability to pull him out of even the worst visions was nice too.

“And then I flew on top of the Senate building—“

But he really did talk a lot.

Octavian sighed as he bought their hot chocolates and forcefully pressed one into Jason’s hand, waving to the cashier that had known him since he was a toddler.

They both had some time off, for once. Octavian would earn his tattoo soon. He had been dreaming of it since he was old enough to know what the Legion was.

“What was it like to grow up in New Rome?”

It came out of the blue, but nearly everything out of Jason’s mouth was like that.

Octavian sipped his hot chocolate and shrugged. “Like anything else, I guess mom struggled to have me. Named me after my ancestor. Big expectations, you know?” He tapped his fingers against the paper cup as they walked past two older campers sparring. “I was a quiet kid, I guess. Got bullied, sometimes. A normal childhood. Normal family. What about you?”

It was Jason’s turn to shrug. “I was with Lupa. Then I was at camp. I dunno. I never really had a family. None that I can remember, anyway. Lupa said it was best not to remember anyway. The Legion is all that matters.”

Octavian stared at Jason and blinked for a moment, sighing. Jason felt a million years older than him, but he really hadn’t experienced anything that mattered.

“Come on. We’re sneaking out.”

Octavian rarely broke the rules. And it was barely breaking the rules. 

It wasn’t his fault his centurion had such easy handwriting to forge.

“Go right on through.” The border guard grinned at him and handed back the note. “Make sure to be back by dinner though, or we’ll report you dead.”

Jason laughed even as Octavian blanched, leading him on the walk to the toy store. It was only a half hour away. Jason looked around with wide eyes and at one point Octavian seriously believed he was able to turn his head like an owl.

“Pick one.”

“One of... what.”

Octavian pinched the bridge of his nose and gestures towards the rows of unfilled animal shells. “An animal, idiot. You know what, just...” he sighed. “What’s your favourite animal?”

“Wolf.” It was immediate and Octavian almost wondered if he had rehearsed it before remembering he had been practically raised by Lupa. It made more sense after that.

He nodded and instructed an employee at the store to get a wolf and a unicorn shell down. The employee grinned and Octavian pretended it was because they were impressed at his commanding tone.

“Do you two want audio pieces?”

Jason just looked confused and Octavian sighed. “Not for mine, please, but for his.” He turned to Jason and prodded him in the shoulder. “We can make the wolf howl.”

“Oh!”

Jason tried twelve times to record the perfect howl. He could stare like a wolf, but his howling left much room for improvement.

“Oh just give that here!” Octavian huffed as he held the recorder to his mouth and cleared his throat. “Awooo.” It was short, it was sweet, and Jason loved it.

The employee started to stuff the animals, starting with Jason’s as they placed the howling piece of plastic into the paw. They stuffed Octavian’s next, leaving just a bit of room in each.

“Now. Bring them to life. Kiss the heart and put it in.” The employee handed them each a red fabric, stuffed heart and had them kiss it, even as Octavian huffed. Right as Octavian was about to put the heart into his unicorn, Jason stuffed his in instead.

“There!”

“That’s not— oh! Fine.” He huffed and put his heart into Jason’s wolf. 

“She hugs perfectly!”

The employee led them over to the clothing. “We’re having a special promotion. Since you two made your friends together, they get special matching friendship bracelets.” They held out a box filled with small braided bracelets and Jason immediately grabbed a blue one, tying it around his wolf’s paw, the opposite of the sound piece.

“It’s like your eyes.”

Octavian huffed and grabbed a blue one as well, tying it quickly around the unicorn’s hoof.

Why were his ears burning? Why couldn’t he just take a compliment.

“And now you name—“

“Lupa!” Jason grinned and nodded, grabbing the pen and playing with it, as the employee handed him the adoption certificate. Octavian silently named his unicorn Augustus.

Octavian paid, his parents still gave him an allowance after all, and they left, Jason hugging both of their stuffed animals tightly.

“Thanks, Octavian.”

He sighed and smiled over at Jason. Suddenly, they felt around the same age. Jason wasn’t so intimidating anymore.

“No problem. Want to get some candy?”

Octavian had no clue why his cohort hated Jason.

* * *

His cohort gave him dirty looks every time he hung out with Jason, but he ignored them.

They weren’t the first dirty looks he’d ever received and they wouldn’t be the last. He knew that.

Time passed. Octavian lost his probatio tablet and received his first bar. Jason cheered for him and privately gave him another bracelet for his unicorn.

The visions were the word and most vague they had ever been. Emotions, primarily. Loss, above all other feelings. His chest burned the whole night. Not even Augustus helped as he usually did, pressed securely to his chest.

Only Jason noticed his grogginess, passing him a second cup of strong black tea in the morning. It didn’t help, but he pretended it did just to see Jason smile.

Jason still knocked him flat on his ass during training though.

* * *

Octavian was 13 when Jason started getting horrible nightmares. 

Jason was surprisingly light on his feet and good at sneaking, so he really shouldn’t have been surprised when he was woken up in the early morning, Diana having many hours left in her journey across the sky.

He was still terrified of course.

“Jace..?” He blinked groggily even as his best friend shoved him onto the other side of his tiny bunk, worming his way in to take up over half of the space.

Rude.

Still, he couldn’t be mad. Jason was shivering and it may have been the moonlight but he had never been so pale.

“Just... Can I stay here? Just for the night?”

Octavian really couldn’t say no to him. And he knew his bunk mates wouldn’t dare say anything to Jason directly.

No one fucked with the son of Zeus, more out of fear than respect. Everyone remembered when Jason had sent Lydia to the healers during a burst of rage. Her heart had stopped. No one knew exactly what Lydia had said to him, both she and Jason refused to say.

He tucked Augustus next to Lupa in Jason’s arms. His cohort all teased him about his stuffed animal, but he didn’t care. He wondered if Jason experienced the same thing.

Maybe the Fifth Cohort was better than the First in that regard.

“It was so dark, Tavi. And I was so cold. And the voice bounced from wall to wall. “No one cares for you.” It— he said. “Especially not the gods.”” Jason shuddered as Octavian rubbed his back. “He told me everyone was afraid of me. To give them something to really fear. To take my place as the leader of a new Era.”

Octavian’s blood ran cold. He had been told the same— well, similar things. By a voice that echoed all around him in a dark cavern. They were his only dreams that weren’t a vision in any way. He looked forward to them, almost. It was a respite from the burden of the future.

“Are you afraid of me, Tavi?”

He had to think. He wouldn’t lie to Jason. Not with those electric blue eyes looking up at him. They weren’t innocent, none in the legion were, but they were scared. 

Despite it all, “No. I’m not afraid of you, Jace. You’re powerful. Your power scares me sometimes. I fear you’ll hurt yourself, or attract something greater than you, but I don’t think you’d hurt me.” He played with Jason’s hair as he thought. It had more texture than his own and seemed to defy gravity. Jason had taken to putting gel in it during the day so it would spike, but it had all been washed out in his evening shower and was as soft as his childhood neighbour’s golden retriever. 

“Maybe the others are afraid of you. Screw them. You don’t need them.” His voice became tinged with bitterness as he closed his eyes. Maybe that was why his cohort hated Jason. 

Jason, who didn’t want to be feared or hated.

“But you know nothing of this voice. Whose to say it doesn’t want to use you?” Octavian scoffed and opened his eyes again. “No one promises power without caveats. I can see the future, sort of, but it’s horrible. You can channel lightning and air but people fear you. Who can say what price the voice will demand?”

Maybe he was a bit bitter, but he knew the gods always demanded prices higher than their “gifts” were worth.

“Don’t trust it, Jace. That’s my opinion.”

He blinked when Jason just moved a little and didn’t respond. That was, until he realized that his friend was fast asleep in Octavian’s bed.

“... Fine. Little gremlin.” Octavian sighed and curled up in the portion of his bed left to him, settling in to try and sleep again after sending a quick prayer to Somnus for a restful sleep.

* * *

Monsters were becoming more and more active. Something was going on. Octavian knew the most, due to his visions. Everyone knew he knew parts of the future, at least it felt that way, but he told only Jason everything he saw.

He rubbed his temples with one hand as his other held his spear while they stood on guard duty.

“Another vision?”

“Just a small one.” He smiled weakly over at Jason. “They’re more and more frequent now. They’re infiltrating my every waking hour, it feels. I can be looking at you and the edges of my vision will flicker with the future.” He bit his lip and looked up at the sky. “This... well he’s around my age, I guess. But... it looks like he’s holding the sky.” He was muttering to himself now. “But that doesn’t make sense. Atlas holds the sky.”

“Yeah! And I doubt Atlas looks like a teenage boy.” Jason grinned at him, clearly trying to alleviate his worries as he nudged him with one hand, golden spear held in the other.

Jason had been gifted it by his father on his twelfth birthday. At least, they assumed it had been Jupiter. Jason had found the coin resting on his pillow on his birthday. They hadn’t found out about its magical properties until a week later when he had been fiddling with it during a history class.

Suffice to say, their teacher hadn’t been happy with the sword appearing in his student’s half half way through his lecture on Julius Caesar’s prophecy.

Yet it took them still another two days to discover it could turn into a spear too. Well. Technically lance. Not that Octavian cared much for the difference.

Still, it was a fortunate gift. It meant that Jason’s former gladius could be passed on to another legionnaire. Imperial Gold weapons were in short supply after all.

“I suppose you’re right. Perhaps I’m just so tired from all this training that I’m dreaming during the day instead.” He knew he wasn’t. So did Jason.

Octavian sighed and his spear dipped for a moment before raising it once more as a girl approached, a gash in her arm bleeding heavily but her head held high.

“Halt, declare yourself.” Jason, even at this young age was the perfect picture of a leader.

“Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano. Daughter of Bellona. I’m here to join the Legion.”

* * *

Jason and Octavian had been inseparable since the day Jason almost killed then subsequently saved him. They had been a pair. Even still, Octavian didn’t mind Reyna’s intrusion too much.

“I bet you three packs of Skittles that you can’t tell me what the weather will be on January 27th.”

Octavian sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking up at the sky before closing his eyes. “It’ll rain so hard you’ll be soaked within seconds if you leave the barracks. There will be thunder and lightning. But it will clear up quickly.”

Reyna snorted and stood up, having finished her food. “Yeah, right. I have to go, I’m on border duty.”

“Bye, probatio,” Octavian teased as she left. He then turned to Jason. “So… You’ll help me win that bet, right?”

“For two of those Skittles packs.”

“One.”

“One and all your reds in the second pack.”

“Deal.”

They shook on it.

* * *

“Congratulations, Head Augur.” It was the eve before they were to march on Mount Othrys and their previous Augur had just been slain.

No one was surprised that Octavian had received the promotion to head Augur. Technically he had been considered one of the camp’s Augurs since he had rushed to the Praetor six months ago, in a daze as he rambled about raining fire and monsters. Still, it put the whole camp on high alert and helped them to avoid a surprise attack from the General’s forces.

Octavian glanced over to Jason with a weary smile and snorted. “When camp has only two Augurs and one dies…”   
  
“Oh, shut up.” Jason walked into his tent and crossed his arms, looking at Octavian’s spread of possible battle plans. It was his job to figure out which were most likely to lead to their success. He didn’t even have the energy to feel annoyed at being told to shut up.

He wondered how Jason did it. How he led so effortlessly. How people listened so easily.

Until that attack, Jason was the only one to ever listen to him.

“Tavi? Are you crying?” Jason’s hand was on his cheek and he pressed against it automatically.

“Tavi?” He shrugged and smiled weakly at Jason. 

“I’m okay, just… tired.” Exhausted, really. And terrified. “I dreamt of drowning again last night.”

“You won’t drown, Octavian. I’ll be there.” Jason nudged him towards his sleeping bag. Octavian always was unbearably hot while he slept so his sleeping bag was unzipped and open instead of in its traditional style.

Octavian slumped down onto it, letting Jason strip off his chestplate and his arm braces with care, massaging the marks left by the straps and ties.

“Go to sleep, Octavian. A tired Augur is no good to anyone.”

“Stay..?” Octavian smiled up at him. He never had a bad dream with Jason, he was like his good luck charm.

Jason looked around the nodded, slipping into Octavian’s arms and letting himself be held like a stuffed animal. His senses filled with static when Jason was so close.

“Don’t leave me, Jason. Swear it.”

“I swear it.” Jason cupped his face with both hands and rested their foreheads together. 

His breath stopped for a moment. Octavian burned like a flame while he slept, but he was awake and still he burned.

“I won’t ever leave you. The only time I leave will be when I die. I swear it to you.”

Jason was breathing heavily, or maybe he was just hyper aware of everything about him. He could feel his hair (slightly damp, he faintly remembered Jason dunking his head in a bucket of water to cool down earlier) between their foreheads.

He wasn’t sure which one of them moved the slightest bit closer to close the gap. It might’ve been him. Jason’s hands at his cheeks, his own moved up to grip his hair.

The moment wasn’t perfect, he was still terrified and all too hot and sticky, but he savoured it.

“Let’s just hope I don’t die tomorrow.” Jason’s words were soft and he could see his companion’s grin.

“You won’t. I swear that to you.”

His cohort may hate Jason, but he would never support them in that. He would always choose Jason over his cohort, even if he had to die to make sure his prediction stayed true.


	2. making a home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the when is this? Sometime after the end of the Titan War and before Jason is taken. It’s coming close though.

They were alive.

Octavian’s lungs still burned and his left arm was covered in bandages but he was alive.

Jason’s hair was singed from all the lightning he used and his eyes glowed even brighter than they used to. He was limping ever so slightly, but he was strong enough still as he dragged Octavian toward the Praetor’s house.

Praetor.

Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, was now the Praetor of the Twelfth Legion.

Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion, was his... something.

Boyfriend, he hoped.

“You know.” Jason grinned as he pushed open the door to the Praetor’s house. “It really makes no sense for the Head Augur to continue to live in the cohort barracks.”

“No, it doesn’t.” He muttered as he looked around, eyes wide. “Jacob lived in a cottage...”

“You could stay here.” Jason pulled him close and pressed a kiss to his lips. He could taste coffee and honey, bitter and sweet. “Stay with me. And Reyna I guess. It isn’t like we don’t spend half the nights in each other’s beds anyway. I always sleep better with you around. I know you do too.”

Octavian held onto Jason’s hips, walking backward until his shoulder blades pressed against the wall. He had been so afraid for the whole battle that he was going to lose Jason, but he hadn’t. He had kept his promise.

“Are we... going to tell anyone?” He mumbled between kisses as Jason guided him toward the room that had been designated as his.

“I don’t know.” Jason closed the door behind them and looked at the pristine room. It had been cleaned already of their old Praetor’s belongings. “The politics...”

“The politics.” He nodded, having been thinking the exact same thing. “They’ll attack us for being in high positions and together.” He kissed him again. “If one of us trips up, the other will be figuratively crucified as well.” He would never want Jason to fall from grace if he were to let one of his visions slip from his lips at the wrong time.

He had reason to be so guarded and snide.

He pulled apart from Jason and couldn’t stop grinning, able to almost feel his pulse in his lips. “We’re alive though. And we’re together.”

“We’re alive and together.” Jason grinned, eyes sparking with electricity and his hair beginning to puff up. “I’m the Praetor.”

“Yes you are. My Praetor.” He smirked and pulled away to flop onto Jason’s bed. “My Praetor with an incredibly comfortable bed. I think I might steal it.”

“You can’t!”

“Oh but I can!”

Octavian laughed as Jason practically tackled him, wrappinghis arms around his midsection and picking him up.

“I guess I’ll have to take out the trash then.” Jason teased and pressed kisses all over his face. “Maybe to dinner?”

“Dinner would be wonderful.” He relaxed in his arms and cuddled up to him. “Not right now though. Right now I just want to be here. With you.”

He groaned when there was a knock on the bedroom door and Reyna’s voice drifted through.

“Jason?”

Then he froze, sharing a look with his boyfriend. In that moment he knew, even letting Reyna know could be dangerous. She was a great friend, but she was loyal to Rome above them. And all three of them knew it.

Jason slipped off of Octavian and he got up, walking over to the window to look out of it as Jason opened the door.

“Rey, tell Octavian he can’t steal my room.”

“Octavian—“

“I don’t see why I can’t. It’s perfect for bird watching, really. And we already agreed as Head Augur it wouldn’t make any sense for me to stay in the barracks. Nor does it make sense for me to be centurion still of my cohort.”

“Actually. I was about to bring that up. I was just walking by when I saw a name plate on a door with your name.”

Octavian blinked. “Oh? Really?” He walked over to Reyna and she stepped back into the hall, gesturing to another room right next to Jason’s. He would’ve sworn it hadn’t been there earlier. “Well then, I would bet it’s far greater than Jason’s room.”

Reyna rolled her eyes with a fond smile. “If only you two would show this side to everyone else, then they wouldn’t be so terrified of the both of you. I’m going to my room. It’s on the other side of the house, apparently.” She shook her head. “They really don’t want us seeing each other, it seems.” She turned on her heel and left.

Jason hadn’t seemed to notice anything, but Octavian frowned. Seeing each other?

“Well then, let’s see your room, fancy boy.” Jason nudged him and he opened the door to his room, looking around. It was the same size as Jason’s, with a bookshelf already filled with books. Well, with the exception of one shelf, perhaps for his own books? The bed was large, and there were windows in the room that looked into a forested area where he could already see birds flying between trees.

On the bed sat Augustus, somehow.

“It’s even better than your room.” Octavian grinned over at Jason as he settled onto his bed. He could truly get used to this.

He couldn’t help but laugh when he was hit with a pillow. It was on.

* * *

Octavian knelt in the temple dedicated to his ancestor, Apollo.

He was quite used to kneeling as he did quite a bit of prayer. Of course, he didn’t have to kneel to pray, most didn’t, but he found it most comforting to do so, his hands resting against his thighs.

The temple was empty save for him. He knew something was coming. It scared him. He still couldn’t see Jason in the future. Especially not clearly.

That scared him the most.

Ever since he was a child, he could See Jason. He hadn’t known what it was at the time, his parents had called it imaginary friends and an overactive imagination. They hadn’t had someone who could See in their family in many years.

He remembered Seeing Jason play with a black haired girl as a child (he asked Jason if he had a sister, he never responded), he Saw him laugh and cry. He Saw him go to Lupa.

He hadn’t known until he met him yet even still he denied it as the same child.

Now he could not deny it. He had kissed that scar so many times. That scar he Saw him receive.

He prayed silently. Part of Seeing meant he always felt watched.

_Apollo, please Watch over Jason. I cannot See him. I do not know if this is your design, or that of Thanatos, or another’s._

_If it is within your will, please protect him as I wish I could._

_He has been loyal and faithful to the Gods. I am willing to pay the price of this request, should there be one._

_Thank you for your continued guidance._

_... Additionally, can you please assist in getting rid of the New Rome PETA chapter. The senate has passed that I am no longer permitted to practice haruspicy with real animals and am confined to only representations._

_You’ve given me the power needed to do it, however the results are not as accurate. I feel as though I will need accuracy as time comes._

_Thank you, Apollo._

“Octavian?”

He rose and turned to look at Jason, smiling.

The sun illuminated him from behind, giving him the illusion of a glow. To him, Jason looked just as he was sure Cupid would.

“My Praetor.” He smiled in return and inclined his head respectfully. “May I help you?”

“Walk with me?”

Octavian turned once again as he burnt his offerings, smiling at the fresh smell of the smoke.

He took Jason’s outstretched hand and squeezed it, though he let go soon after.

It wouldn’t do to hold hands where all could see. That’s why they were walking to a more private area.

“You were praying?”

“Of course.” Octavian shrugged slightly. “It is part of my job, of course, and personally I have prayed every day since the age of five. Not always to Apollo, although usually. Sometimes I pray to your father. He’s incredibly important, after all.”

Jason snorted and nodded, “I’m kind of aware of that.” He took Octavian’s hand again once they entered the forest, brushing his lips over his knuckles. Octavian felt that Jason was far too skilled at making him blush.

“And how are you, Praetor?” Jason’s ears tinged pink and he huffed.

“You know, you really don’t have to call me that when we’re alone... I’m fine. You know, Praetor duties kind of suck. Like. A lot.”

Octavian chuckled and leaned into his side as they stopped in a clearing. It was their clearing, or at least it felt to be so. They were never disturbed here and none knew of it beside them.

He slipped away from Jason to sit, cross legged instead of knelt this time. He patted his lap. “Lay down.”

Jason raised an eyebrow yet tentatively did so, resting his head in Octavian’s lap. Octavian began to run his finger’s through Jason’s hair, untangling every lock and scratching his scalp.

Within two minutes Jason was making a low, almost purring noise, his eyes closed and breathing slow.

Octavian smiled down at him and pressed a kiss to his temple. He knew soon they’d have to go back and separate to do their duties. But for now, for these few moments, they had each other and that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Octavian/Jason was something I thought of as a crack ship until I realized that it would actually work, and it would work well. Most of the fics in this tag are extremely smutty or otherwise just things I don't particularly like reading, so I figured I'd throw in some thoughts of my own. This is technically canon compliant because I'm vague, but I imagined it as existing within my Percy, son of Thanatos Universe.


End file.
